What Is the Boundary Between Human and Nonhuman-A Discussion Based on Techno-Animistic Perspective
Abstract
This dissertation explores how human perceptions of robots are shaped by culturally embedded imaginaries, ontological frameworks, and animistic thinking, with a particular focus on Japanese society. Drawing from an encounter with Sony’s AIBO robotic dog at the Barbican Centre in 2019, the study begins with a phenomenological reflection on the uncanny emotional connection evoked by the machine’s dog-like behaviours. This initial experience prompts a deeper inquiry into the ways humans assign symbolic and affective meaning to robotic forms, beyond their technical functions.The research adopts a cross-cultural lens, comparing Western and Japanese conceptions of robots as revealed through dictionary definitions, science fiction narratives, and robotic design philosophies. In the West, robots are often framed as mechanistic tools—external to and subordinate to humans—rooted in a Cartesian dualism that separates humans from machines. In contrast, Japanese narratives frequently reflect a relational ontology informed by Shinto-Buddhist cosmology, where robots may be regarded as social cohabitants or even spiritual beings.
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